Tai Lung The Journey
by Rabenkopf
Summary: Ska-doosh was the last word he heard before the Wuxi Finger Hold. But what happened after this golden halo with Tai Lung? Find out in my Fanfiction.
1. Ska'doosh! And Then

**Ska-doosh! – And then?**

„You….can't defeat me. You…You're just a big…fat…panda." I say to him not believing what happened a moment ago and threatening him with my forefinger. He pinches it.

"I am not a big fat panda.", he said all high and mighty.

Yeah? Prove the opposite!

"I am THE big fat panda."

Where is the difference?

He lifts his pinky.

What the…

"The Wuxi Finger Hold!", I say gasping.

"Oh, you know this hold?", he says grinning.

"You're bluffing. You're bluffing! Shifu didn't teach you that!", That is impossible!

"Nope."

Fuhhh….Lucky me!

"I figured it out."

What!

"Ska-doosh."

...

It is dark. Darkness surrounds me. Ugh…My head is burning. My arms are paining. My ass is….to shorten it: I don't know where it is not paining.

I try to lift my head. Ugh..Pain.

I try to open my eyes. Yeah it gets brighter. The Darkness is disappearing….and…..Why is there only a golden color? I turn around. Gold. I turn to the other side. Gold. No details. Only golden blur. Am I blind? I try to focus to different points. No difference…..I am blind! No. No. No. This can't be! This can't be! How the hell this happened?

Ugh…My head…The pain…oh, no. no.

I don't want to faint. I don't want to faint.

No Darkness anymore. No Dark…Ugh.

I want to keep the golden blur.

No. No. no. no. no…DOH! I fainted.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	2. Kiddo

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter I:** Kiddo

I feel pain again. Seems like I am awaking. Ugh…the head.

Slowly open the eyes….Yeah, I am blind. DOH!

Not upsetting myself. No upsetting….DOH!

Be optimistic. It is only a golden cloud in front of my eyes!

Argh…You are a Kung Fu Master. The greatest of all times! The Dragon War….The rightful Dragon Warrior! And much stronger than this big…fat…panda! You can overcome your blindness. You can overcome every problem!

I have more than one sense.

Ears. Hearing….Hearing….Is this a grasshopper?...Hearing…I think this is the wind….Argh..Not much to hear.

Nose. Smelling…..Urgh…This stinks! What is this smell? It is coming from somewhere close to me.

Try to lift your head…Ugh…slowly….Yeah this smell is coming somewhere in front of my feet…..Wait a minute…It is coming closer…

"Ah you awoke!" the voice of someone says. It sounds younger.

"Yeah…" I can mutter only. The smell is much closer now and only now I sense the full intensity of this stench. Oh god….Please someone kills me….

"Kill you?" he asks. Did I say it loud? "No. No. No killing." I assure him. The smell remains.

"Who…who are you?" I try to change the topic.

"Swampie" he answers, "And you?"

"Tai Lung.", I say with so much pride in my voice which I can accomplish.

"Aha.", was his answer. He doesn't care!

"Wait…a minute! You don't know…the great Tai Lung?" I ask unbelieving.

"Nope." was his answer. It reminds me of Po, this big….fat….panda! Ugh….my head…no upsetting…calm yourself.

"What a pity." I start with so much superiority as I can, but it sounds like a babble of a drunk, "I am the greatest Kung Fu Mas….", "Boring.", he interrupts me rudely.

"Boring? You are standing in front of a le….", "Boring.", he interrupts me again. Grrrr….

"I don't want to know your….career or whatever. I rescued you out of the river. Do you can pay for it?", he continues disrespectful.

"Pay for it? Listen kiddo, you rescued a legend. When I feel better I can beat up everyone you want as a payment.", I say with much pride in my voice.

"Beat up everyone?" he asks with a doubtful voice, "You are blind. How do you think you can beat up anyone?"

"How?" I ask as superior as I can, "I am a Kung Fu Master! If blind or not give me a target and I can beat them up."

"A Kung Fu Master?", he asks still doubtful, "And what is this?"

"You don't know what a Kung Fu Master is?" I ask unbelieving.

"Nope." He says simply.

"And Kung Fu?"

"Still nope."

I can't believe! He doesn't know what Kung Fu is!

"You are joking, right kiddo?", I ask clutching the last straw.

"No I am not, old man!", he answers a little provoked.

"I am not an old man!", I counter. I am still in my prime time.

"And I am not a kiddo!", He counters, "I am Fifthte….eh Sixteen, eh Eighteen…no no…ah I am Seventeen!"

"Sounds like a kiddo to me.", I reply smirking.

"No I am not!", he continues annoyed, "Okay. If blind or not you owe me something. And don't forget it." I hear like he is standing up.

"Hey! Where are you going?", I ask with a more curious voice I would have liked.

"Home.", he says simply.

"And what is with me?", I continue, "I can't lift a finger and I am hungry." To be correct until this moment I didn't notice how hungry I really was. The hunger was much stronger than my pain. I feel like I haven't eaten for months! Maybe it is so….

"He will care for you.", he says.

"Who?"

"The old Thorn."

"Who?"

"That will be me.", a voice from behind me says.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	3. The old Thorn

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter II:** The old Thorn

That was impossible. I didn't notice him. Not a bit. No Noise. No Smell. Even my extraordinary senses failed me. Who is this guy?

"So I am going!" I hear Swampie shout and then his footsteps in the grass. The old Thorn behind me doesn't move a bit or at least I don't sense anything.

"So who are you, old Thorn?" I ask him out and try to disguise my shock.

"The man who cared for you in the last days." he answers, "I hope you feel alright."

"It could be better." I say with a calmed voice again, "So do you can answer some questions for me?"

"So polite?" he asks chuckling, "I didn't see this a while ago."

"Eh….I….I am always polite to older people." I answer an excuse.

"Is that so?" he asks still chuckling, "I try to believe you."

Good that is better so. I will never admit that you surprised me with your sheer existence.

"You will never admit? Too bad." he says still chuckling.

I need a second to realize what this was. Did he read my mind?

"Yes.", he replies my question.

What!

"How are you doing this?" I ask and try not to think.

"I can simply." he says still with his amused voice.

"So...eh…I don't like this. Can you quit it?" I ask hopefully.

"I will try." was his only answer.

I breathed in and out. Where the hell I sleepwalked into?

"Can you give me something to eat? I am starving."

"Of course. Open your mouth." he says with a voice like he is talking to a kitten. He gives me something like a grape and it tastes awful. "What is this?"

"Swampgrapes.", he answers still amused, "The only thing you can eat in your state."

I am close to vomit, but I try to slug it down. The first accomplished. Now the second. The third….urgh…the fourth….(close to vomit noises)….the fifth….."I am sated." I can still bring out.

"Really?", he asks still amused. This old guy is similar to someone I knew….but who?

"Really.", I answer still breathing.

After some while I ask: "So where am I?"

"In a Swamp.", he replies simply.

"That I know already. But where is this swamp?"

"From where are you from?", he counters my question.

"What? What this have to do with my question?"

"How I can say you where this swamp is, when I don't know where you come from. I need a point of comparison."

"Ah okay. From China."

"China?"

"You don't know China?" I ask unbelieving. They don't know what Kung Fu is. They don't know China. In what a hell I am? The Middle of Nowhere or what?

"Never heard of it.", he confirms my assumption.

"The Middle Kingdom? The Home of Laozi, Confucius and many other famous men? The greatest empire of all times? Never heard?", I try the last straw.

"Ah, now when you mentioned it. I know from an Empire in the east."

"Finally! That must be it. It is located in the east. It is far away?"

"I don't know."

"What?"

"I have never been there. And the last time I heard from it, my old friend Oogway told me about it. But this is rather long ago."

What! This guy knows Oogway?...That is it! That's why he remembers me of someone. He is similar to Oogway!

"You know Oo…Master Oogway?" I ask.

"Master Oogway? I didn't know he has a title now. But yes I know him. Or better knew him. He was an old friend of mine. How is he going?"

"He is dead.", I say simply.

"What a pity.", he says a little sad, "How he died?"

"I don't know." I admit, "I only…heard of his death."

"I see. And he was your master?"

"No. He was the master of my master in Kung Fu."

"Kung Fu?"

"You don't know it either? This is a fighting style."

"Fighting style?...Ah I remember. He was into something like this. But I think he called it Wushu."

"Wushu? Never heard of it."

"Yes, but I think we are talking about the same thing. So how are you going now after eating?"

"Well enough.", I say and begin to yawn, "It would be better for me to sleep now."

"That will be good. Sleep is always good."

"But one thing I must asked previously: Can you heal my blindness?"

He keeps quiet for a while before he answers: "I don't know. I don't know how it happened in the first place. Maybe it is only a temporal thing but I can't say more."

"I see….Thanks for the try."

"The first time you did this."

"What?"

"Thanking someone."

"Ah…this was…an accident."

"There are no accidents.", he says chuckling again.

"I see…Good night." And then I fell asleep.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	4. See without Seeing

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter III:** See without Seeing

Ah…It is dark. What happened? Now it is golden. I remember.

I moan loudly.

"How ya doing?" I hear the question from behind me. Less painful….

"Better.", I answer.

"That is good." he talks further, "You slept for two whole days."

"What!" I slept for two whole days? Did I need so much sleep? Am I so weak?...I am so weak. I try to lift my upper body.

"Hey what are doing?", he asks me, but I ignore it. I lift my upper body. It hurts still, but it is worth it.

"Regaining my pride.", I answer and mean it. I am not weak!

"I see." was his only comment to it. I stare forward for the first time for real since I woke up. I see nothing. This is depressing. Then one question comes in my mind.

"Why are you doing this?", I ask him.

"What do you mean?"

"Why are you helping me? Caring for me?"

"Why not?" was his answer and it was serious.

"Why not? Because you don't know me. You know nothing about me. I am a complete stranger for you." I try to reason with him. He keeps silent for a while, before he answers:

"Is this important?", he asks me. I can't believe it.

"Yeah it is important. I could be a mass murder or a killer or a…."

"That is unimportant.", he interrupts me, "What was is long gone. Important is today. And today you needed my help."

I keep silent for a while. "For no payment? Like the kiddo?", I ask him hopefully. He can't be so good!

"For no payment.", he admits, "As Swampie."

"What? He wanted a payment."

"Yeah, because he had time to think. When he saw you drift in the river, do you think he thought of a payment for this? No, he tried to rescue you without thinking about the danger. He is a good kid."

"But now he wants to have a payment. So there is no difference."

He chuckles. "Swampie don't even know for what he needs someone, who can beat up everyone, he would point out." Again chuckling. DOH.

"So he found me in the river?", I try to change the topic.

"Yes."

"When?"

"Let me think…I guess two weeks before you awoke the first time."

"Two weeks!", I yell shocked, "I was unconscious for two weeks?"

"No, probably longer. We don't know how long you were in this river and how you came from the east to us."

I can't believe it. I knew that the Wuxi Finger Hold was a force not to be underestimated, but I would have never guessed, that it will come out in this way. Grrrr….This damn panda.

"What panda?", he asks. I said it aloud again! DOH!

"The one who defeated me. The one who brought me here.", I admit.

"I see." is his only comment. Again!

"Yeah, he did this. And when my wounds are healed I will find him and beat him. This big…fat…panda." I stand up fully with much force to underline my argument. It hurts but I can stand.

"Is this so? And how do you think this will work?" This puzzled me.

"What do you mean?"

"You are blind, already forgotten?", how could I, "And you are in a swamp, which is so big that most of its inhabitants never saw the outside world.", his voice is coming from in front of me now, "So how to you want to reach the end of this swamp at least not to mention China?"

"I am a Kung Fu Warrior! I don't need my eyes to get to my goal!" I tell him proudly.

"Ah is it so?", he makes a break, "Do you can do me a favor: Follow me."

I don't understand for what, but I do as he asks me. And it hurts. To Stand up and go are two different things. He is saying always "Follow me.", so I know where he is. My Going is stabilizing slowly….Argh!...Damn!...This hurts! I can't stand up anymore and fall on my knee. I stretch out my hand and find the reason for my new pain: a root, which had come out of the earth and is now as high as my knee was. Damn root!

"I thought you would sense it. For what reason you have else your other senses?"

"Damn! I am not accustomed to use them for my orientation! But this will change!", I counter with much anger.

"Is that so?", this question is getting me angrier than I thought, "Then stand up and follow me further." I could tell him to go to hell, but I will never give him this satisfaction. I stand up despite the pain in my foot and go further. This time I pass through this root, but a damn tree is standing in the way and I crush with my left shoulder on it.

"Damn it!", I shout. "Follow me." is his answer. Grrrr….. I go further. Then the ground under my feet changes: I am in the middle of water. It is cold. Brrr… But I can do this…Wait a minute his voice…Where is he?

"Do you know where I am?", he asks me and I can't sense him. His voice is like an echo. I can't tell where he is. Damn. Where can he be? Where? Where?...What is this? I feel something in the water….Waves….Now I know.

"There you are!", I declare and point with my finger to a position I still can't see.

"Correct. How do you find me?", he asks with his normal voice again.

"The waves.", I explain, "You made waves during going."

"Yes.", he admits, "And that is the basic of "To see without seeing.""

"What is this?", I ask curiously.

"That what it tells.", he replies chuckling, "Your senses are not always right. If you are using your eyes or other senses it makes no change. Sometimes they trick you and that is why you need to learn other things to see.", he makes a break, "You see, water is a wonderful medium. It is so easy and familiar. To sense the waves in it is on the first hand not a difficult task, but what would you do, if I said, that there are always waves in the water, also when it is at rest? The waves are only a little weaker, but they are there. And Air is not much different from water. It is only harder to grasp. To sense the waves in the water or in the air, that is "To see without seeing.""

I am impressed and a little puzzled. "I thought you don't know what Kung Fu is?"

"I don't know. I am not a Fighter. But this is not meaning that I don't have skills. To survive in this swamp for so long someone needs many skills. Oogway understood it, when he came here for the first time."

This is keeping me silent. What I have to do now, is much harder than to stand up.

"Do you….can teach me?", I ask swallowing my pride.

"What?", he asks.

"To see without seeing."

"For what reason do you want to learn it?"

"There changed nothing. To survive this swamp and escape from it to get my revenge on Po."

"I see. So for what reason I should teach you this?"

Now I have to think….think….think….ah, it is so easy.

"Because I need your help."

"And more reasons I don't need."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	5. First Step

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter IV:** First Step 

I was shitted. I thought that after asking him for teachings he would teach me this "See without Seeing". This technique which wouldn't give me only the skill to see again without my eyes, but would also be a huge advantage against Po. But what happened after this first day?

He keeps me waiting.

He said that first I have to learn to use other senses than my eyes for seeing before I could master this technique. And my wounds should heal.

And so the time passed. I don't know how much time passed, but I know that I got stronger and stronger. And this was needed. My once so big muscles were a shadow of once former self. I was a stick almost.

When I was strong enough to move without much pain, I trained. Sit-ups, Pushups, punching with the fists, kicking with the feet, Running, Jumping and much more I could think about. In this way I learned to see with my other senses. I heard, smelled and touched better than earlier. I must admit that he was right…..Grumble.

Also I learned more about my surroundings. I was on an isle. A small isle. In the middle of a huge lake of swamp water full of trees, plants, and even fish. The lake wasn't deep, but that wasn't the point. I couldn't see there much. My fur was wet, my ears useless cause there was nothing to hear, my nose useless cause everything smelled like swamp. Now I get what he meant with "tricking" of the senses. This doesn't make it better.

At least in this way I learned more about the isle. It was a small grassy isle with two trees. One at the border of the isle where I crushed earlier. This one I engraved first. The second, the bigger one, was in the middle of the isle. Thorn used it to build up his 'tent' or he called it so. It was a piece of fabric, which hanged above my head, when I was sleeping. I never asked him where he is sleeping? Hmm…..That is unimportant. Important is when he will teach me to See without Seeing.

Another thing I learned was that it was raining in this swamp.

THE

WHOLE

TIME!

Yesterday?

Raining.

Today?

Raining.

It was so annoying.

Cause of the rain I couldn't see a thing. It is worse than in the water: Fur and other things too wet to realize what I am touching, the rain is too loud to hear something different and the rain let disappear every smell I could detect. It is so frustrating.

And today again. I hear nothing than raining and I don't think it will end so fast. Even the training is difficult in the small area, which is protected by the fabric. And I don't know where Thorn is. He wanted to bring food or something which he is calling food. Until today I couldn't bring myself to like it. Even the food in Chorh-Gom Prison was better and that should say something.

"Tai Lung I am back." Thorn said from somewhere.

"Finally!" I yelled, "Where is the food?"

"Here by me.", he said again chuckling. Another thing I couldn't bring myself to like.

"And where is here?" I asked the obvious question. Shall I remind him that I am blind?

"In the water." he says.

I breathe out loudly and step into the rain. Brrr…..I hate when it is raining.

"Where are you?" I yell.

"Find me.", was the only thing he answered and again with this odd voice….He wants to test me.

I try to use my senses but like I said earlier they don't work a bit.

I don't know where he could be. Grr…..

"Trouble?" he asked innocently.

"YEAH!" I yelled back, "Of course! I can't see anything!"

"And you don't sense the waves?", again in this same innocent voice, which is getting on my nerves.

"No!" I answered without holding back, "There are too many waves to see you."

"Then try to compare them." he says simply.

Grrrr…If this would be so easy. If I could see the difference between waves! Waves are waves! There is no big difference for a blind ma…

…

….

Now this is odd.

This can't be.

More concentrating.

More focus.

…

There….

is….

a difference.

Not big.

Not small.

But there.

These…..are rain waves…..

I believe.

There are more of them than others.

….

….

These are my. So calm and unmoving in this water. So close to me.

Then these are…

I make a step. The waves change. I need some time to focus again. Ah there are they.

Next Step.

Again focus.

Another Step. This time I see a pattern.

Fourth Step.

There is something new. I breathe loudly. Stretch out my arm. Touch a hard and wet skin.

"You found Me.", he says with his normal voice again.

When I touch him I feel something different.

Something unusual.

A Vibration…..

It comes from him.

I touch myself.

….

….

Nothing.

On him also.

He goes a step closer to me.

"You saw it?" he says. It sounded a little fascinated.

And it wasn't a real question.

"Yeah."

I don't know what he is doing right now, but I imagine a smile from Shifu. A warm smile, which he made when I did something which made him proud.

…

So long ago…

He touches me. I breath loud when I am coming back to present.

"The first step is done." he says with satisfaction. Not for him. But for me…..

For me…..

I fainted.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	6. Light

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter V:** Light 

I hear it. The rain. It is still raining. I breathe out loud and slowly.

"So you awoke?" Thorn asks me. He is right beside me.

The question is justified. I learned not to open my eyes again. Never. For what anyway?

"Yeah. How long I was out?" I ask him slowly.

"Not long. Not even an hour."

He is silent now. I recover slowly and lift up my upper body. I feel nothing anymore.

"What happened?" he asks me.

I hold my head. "I don't know…A memory." I answer unsure.

"What memory?"

I let him wait.

"Of happier times."

"How were they?" he asks after a while.

I smile instinctively.

"Like happy times are."

"Were you alone?"

"No. He was there."

"Who?"

"Shifu."

"Who is Shifu?"

"My master….My father. Or the only being, who I can call so."

I remember every second of these times. I was so happy. I always wanted that he was proud of me. I always wanted that he is happy. This was enough for me.

I breathe out again.

"Why did the happy times ended?" he asks.

"Treason.", I say with anger in the voice.

"Treason?...Do you want to speak about it?"

"No, it is…a long story."

"Maybe you don't realize it, but time is something we have more than enough here. So do you want to tell me?"

I think about it. Should I tell him?

"My master, Shifu, betrayed me."

"How?"

"He did nothing!", I stand up.

"He always promised me that one time I would be the Dragon Warrior. The mightiest being on earth! I trained for this day. Every day and night. Not important how much it hurt and how many bones I broke. I trained for my destiny."

"So what happened?", he asks the question again.

I breathe louder and louder and get angrier and angrier when I remember this moment.

"Nothing." I say and go into the rain.

I hear like he is standing up. "What happened? Tell me.", he is insisting.

"No. No!"

"Tell me!"

"He did nothing! Oogway should have chosen me, but he didn't! And when Oogway decided this, he did nothing! He betrayed me!"

"So what should he have done in your opinion? Fight for another decision?"

"Yeah this would have been better! Or talk! But do something." I shake my head. "I have done everything for him! And when he had the chance to repay it, he did nothing!"

Thorn keeps silent.

"Do you think he did this to annoy you?"

"No! Of course not!"

"Did he apologize to you?"

I remember the last moment where I saw him.

"I have always been proud of you. From the first moment I've been proud of you. And it was my pride that blinded me. I loved you too much to see what you were becoming, what I turned you into. I'm... I'm sorry."

"He…he apologized. He apologized for his mistakes." I tremble.

"So…why are you still angry?", he asks after some time.

I know the answer. I always knew. The trembling is getting stronger.

"Shifu taught me for a destiny. To become the Dragon Warrior….I am not the Dragon Warrior. Not since Po beat me. So what am I? What is my destiny?"

He keeps silent. So long that I stop trembling. So long that I am losing hope.

"No one knows his destiny, Tai Lung. Not before it starts. To find it is the way of life."

His hand touches my shoulder.

"You must forgive for what he had done to you and you will be able to go forward. The past happened and will never be again. You can choose only your own future."

"And what future is this? In the middle of nowhere." The answer doesn't make me happier.

He is chuckling. "Oogway always said: There are no accidents. Like I told you. That you have landed here, must have a sense. But to find this, is not my duty."

He goes a step in front of me. The rain is ending. I open my eyes. Through the golden blur I see light.

"When you want to know your destiny, you will need to find out yourself. I can only show you the right direction."

The golden blur isn't disappearing.

"And you have still a long way to go. Do you want me to show you the direction?"

I keep silent.

"Maybe."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	7. Ambush

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter VI:** Ambush 

The rest of the day I trained. Or so Thorn called it. He sent me out in the rain to stand in the water. I should learn to see the difference between the waves in the water. Pff...I thought the first time. After all I saw it already once.

After standing there until night I changed my mind.

Nothing the whole time.

Not that I didn't sense anything, but the only thing I sensed were rain drops.

The next day too.

And so the third day.

Not until the fourth day I sensed the difference. Or so I think. Either I had really sensed the difference between a rain drop and a drop, which Thorn let drip into the water or it was my cold. I laid low for the next days.

Since my cold some days had passed and for the first time it wasn't raining anymore.

HURRAY!

Finally I could train my body in a greater space than this small fabric. Or so I thought.

"Tai Lung, I think it is a good time for you to visit the city." Thorn says.

"The City? Why?" I ask a little startled.

"Because you are strong enough now, to eat other things than grapes. I still remember like you make disgusted noises, when you need to eat them. In the city is better food."

Better Food? I think my saliva is dripping downwards. Finally! Better food. Not this torture tool anymore!

"So do you want to go?" he asks innocently.

"YES! Of course! I can't wait to reach the city!" I yell louder than I want to do.

He chuckles again. It still is a little annoying.

So we went to the city.

I admit it I thought that Thorn would lead me in some way. With words. Or, when there aren't alternatives, take me by my hand. But not a bit of it!

It was training time again. I should follow him by sensing the waves, which his feet formed.

I breathe out loudly.

And so I tried it.

I don't know how long I needed to accustom to it, but at least I can count my scratches.

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6… Not bad. 48 when I didn't miscount.

Most often at my legs. But somehow I am accustomed to pain again. Like I was, when Shifu trained me. Is this good now or bad?

I crush in Thorn.

"What the hell, why are standing in the way?" I yell without thinking.

"We got company." he answers calmly.

"Where?" I say and try to sense them. Nothing.

Then I hear noises. Not until some time I understand that this is speech. In a different language to top it all.

"What he says?" I ask while he is still talking. At least I know that he is in front of us.

"He says: Finally old Thorn. I found you. I send you and your friend to Hell." Thorn answers and makes a break, "Or something like that. This mumbling is difficult to understand. But I think he uses some swear words also."

While I talked with Thorn this guy seemed to end his speech. He is quiet now.

"Eh, what now?" I ask unsure.

Thorn chuckles and answers in the same language, although his pronunciation was by light years better.

….

Still I don't understand a word.

Then this guy yells very loud. And I hear also two other voices. Then I hear like they are running to us.

I push Thorn away and yell: "Stay back!"

There are three different noises of steps and I can't see the difference, with exception that someone from the left is the closest. I punch in this direction. I miss. That a club which hits me in the chest proves me.

I fly a longer way and crash in the water. My whole body is now under water.

My first reaction: I need to breath!

But then I sense it. The waves in the water are much stronger than outside of it. Or I can sense more, because now my whole body is in the water. Choose.

At least I see the difference now. Three bigger waves are further afar and so they are a mix of six feet. One bigger wave is coming closer to me. Rather careful.

When he is close enough I use my hands to stand up. My feet come out of the water with a big splash. Before he can do something I use my feet to kick him away. I sense like he falls into the water.

I change my posture to my feet again. And still I can sense everything in the water.

This first guy, who seems to be a crocodile, stands up. Also I sense that one of the others is coming closer.

I don't let the first croc get in posture again and attack him. This time I hit. Maybe I am not as strong as I was, but still stronger than this croc. He flies backwards and stays there.

The second croc is rushing at me. I don't know how his weapon is positioned, but assuming from the attacking style it must be upwards. That I experience within one second. Yeah you can be impressed.

I rush at him and stand directly in front of him before he can realize what I have done. Then I punch with both fists and send him flying.

Two down, one to go.

I sense Thorn and the last one not far away. Thorn is the smaller wave. He is attacked, but…he can dodge it easily…

I proceed to attack fast and shout a furious war cry. The attacker stops for a second and turns around to me. Before he can attack with his weapon I lunge my fist.

In this moment happens something odd. I sense a whirl around my fist. It is covering my fist and my underarm. It is very strange.

I hit him with this fist and something more strange happens.

There where my fist crashes in his chest were another whirl. It had surrounded him. When I hit both whirls flew away and for a split second a complete empty space was created. A void I think.

I don't know if this void has to do something with that what happened after that, but I am not a physicist.

Anyway he flew backwards against the next tree.

I breathe out loud. I try to sense this whirl again. There is nothing. Was this my imagination?

I hear like he is standing up again. Tripping. Then he yells something to his men and I hear and sense like they are taking flight. The attack is over.

"Impressive.", I hear Thorn say, "You get stronger in the last weeks than I imagined."

"And you are still not completely honest to Me.", I counter calmly.

"What do you mean?"

"You could dodge the attacks. With Kung Fu moves. That I sensed."

He chuckles again.

"Maybe Oogway showed me one or two moves of his Wushu. But still I am not a fighter. I am a pacifist."

I think about the next question.

"Who were they?"

"Some bandits." he replies a little different from usual.

"Only?" I ask showing my disbelief, "I thought they wanted to send us to hell."

"It is….complicated."

"You said me once that time is something we have enough here." I reminds him.

He chuckles.

"Yeah that is true. But not now, okay? I tell you when I think it is the correct time."

"I see. I remind you of this."

What is he hiding?

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	8. City

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter VII:** City

The rest of the road was completely unremarkable. We arrived in the City.

First step in the city was a Step on a board. It and further boards created stairs, which led to boards, which created a road.

You see the City was built in the middle of a swamp. The ground was changing between water and earth and that is why the City was built on wooden pillars. On this wooden pillars were wooden grounds, existing out of boards. And occasionally on this grounds were built houses out of wood. And these houses created the City. Or so at least Thorn told me.

"So what name has this city?" I ask Thorn, who is walking in front of me.

"It has no name. The people call it simply the City. It is the only city in this swamp, so there was no problem with this ever." he answers.

"So how is your seeing?" he adds after some while.

That is a rather funny thing. Since the fought I could see the waves rather good. Although this changed since entering the City.

"Bad since the first board."

"I see. So you can't sense the water in the boards?"

"Water in the boards?"

"In every living being is water. Even when this being died. In this boards is rather little water, I admit it, but it is still there."

"An interesting fact, but no I can't sense it."

"Too bad. But in the water it is different?"

"Yeah, somehow I had no problems of seeing something there, after the fight."

Thorn keeps silent and stops rather suddenly. I almost crush into him.

"You get accustomed to it rather faster than I thought. Maybe you get him already the next time."

"About what are you talking?"

"About the reason for coming to this city."

"I thought we are here to buy food?"

"Yes that is also a reason. Come now."

So we went further and this time Thorn helped me with directions. Sometimes some people came along our road. If contra flow or normal flow. Thanks to touching I could sense that there were people with fur, scales and something like a slippery skin. I think there were some bugs also.

We walked for a while. Now I see how big this city is. The wooden roads were endless. After one, two, three and further bending on this road I lost completely the orientation. Then Thorn stopped and I stopped close to him. Somehow I sensed that he would stop…..Odd….

"We are at our goal." he says to me.

"And where is this?" I ask him. Here was much more noises cause of chatting than elsewhere.

"Can you guess?" he challenges me.

I think of this and answer: "We are at the market."

"Exactly. Come."

And so we go on. Now Thorn takes me by my hand, because the crowd of people is so big, that I touch someone every moment I am in there. And worse is that Thorn doesn't look where he is dragging me. More than one time I get hit by something, which is in the way. In the better parts, somewhere where I have muscles. In the worst parts in my soft parts. I think I moaned once.

I hate the smaller people with scales.

At the end we arrive at one of the stalls.

I hear like the owner is talking to us in this odd language.

"What?" I ask without thinking again.

"Oh, you are from there." he realize in my language, "Welcome to Feng Sheng's Stall for goods out of the rich East. What is interesting you?"

I wait that Thorn is saying something.

"We are here, because you are a merchant of the East." he begins, "We wanted to ask some things about the East."

"Oh I see. But for this information I will need a payment."

"Of course." I hear the sounds of coins.

"Okay what do you want to know?"

"We want to know how long the road takes to the East." Thorn asks.

"I need always some months. But at the other side I am always on the road with several merchants. Alone, no one can survive the Silk Road's desert part."

The Silk Road? That is a hint how far away I am. And a hint how I can come home again.

"So this Silk Road is coming through this City?" Thorn asks.

"No. The Silk Road is farther to the South from here. I am coming always here, because I am the only seller for East's Goods." He chuckles, "A monopole is rather good to…."

"Yeah!" I hear a noise from behind him, "I won! Hah! Give me all of your money, scum!"

Then there is coming laughter with a rather deep voice. Also some noise of horror.

"Hey, you gorillas! Quit this! I am in the middle of a business talk!" Feng Sheng yells to them.

The laughter and horror noises end.

"Sorry boss. Will not happen again!" I still hear like he is laughing although quieter.

"Sorry for the interruption. Good staff is hard to find." he apologizes to us.

"Don't worry. I have a last question: When will you go back to the East?"

"Ah, let me think….First I go to the west. Further the Silk Road. This will last at least one to two months. I will be there for such a period also. So in guessed three to four months I will be back here and from there I will go back to the East. Why did you ask?"

"Will you be able to take him with you?" Thorn asks and I know that he is pointing at me.

I don't need to say that I am surprised.

"Maybe. Is he blind?" the merchant asks in an undertone that let me think that I am a cripple.

I growl loud enough.

"Yes he is, but he doesn't like to be called so." Thorn answers.

"Yeah, of course." I hear a scared undertone in these words and am satisfied. Seems that my body build plus my growling look frightening enough again. I smile brightly.

"But when I should take him with me, you will need to pay." Feng Sheng says.

"And when he is one of your guards?", and I hear clearly that the noises behind Feng Sheng stop at once.

"Eh, did he can fight, when he is blind?" Feng Sheng asks unsure.

"He can fight, but still needs some training. But in the time you are away, this should be accomplished."

"I see. All right. Further guards are always needed, but I don't want to pay for this."

"I don't think he wants to paid, or want you?" Thorn asks to my direction.

"I don't need money." I say with my best intimidating voice, "As long I get food and drinks."

Now everyone keeps silent. Of course with exception the crowd behind and beside us.

"Okay, we have a deal. I hope for you he ends his training until then." I hear nothing but I think they shake hands.

"So then in four months!" he yells to us, when we are disappearing in the crowd again.

When we reached a spot, which is not so crowded I confront him: "So what's the big deal? I thought you wanted to show me the right direction?"

"That is correct. I don't want that you live only for revenge alone. But I don't think that I am able to prevent you from going back."

"Yeah you can't! I decide my own destiny, but until now the best I can think of is to beat Po. If I become the Dragon Warrior or not. At least I will be the Destroyer of the Dragon Warrior." I reply to him with a serious voice.

"See? So, I also thought that a time limit would be good for you. Under pressure someone learns faster. And you seem to be a natural genius." I feel proud by these words, "And we will be staying in the City now. So the better food is closer."

By reminding me the main reason for coming to the City in the first place my stomach growls loudly enough.

"Yeah the food, where is this?"

"Patience, we will go there now. And then we will visit an old friend."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	9. Saloon

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter VIII:** Saloon

An apple. A normal apple. To bite into it was like a salvation.

Like a blessing in round shape.

Finally normal food!

And I am not even hungry. But after I ate the first, I ate still four more. And then also one pear and some jujube. I was never happier since my childhood days.

So we are going now. We bought the food by a merchant and are going now to a person, who Thorn is calling ´an old friend`.

Don't know about who he is talking.

I only know that the smell is getting worse since we are on our way. And not to understand it wrong. In the swamp there is always some stinky smell. But I got accustomed to it already. So when I say, that the smell is getting worse then I mean it gets really bad.

It reminds me of sulfides.

Also we went down a little. So this means that this part of the city is lower than the rest, but still on pillars. Unfortunately some of the swamp water got on my feet also and so my feet are stinking now. But on the other hand: This can be good for see without seeing.

So we end at one of these wooden buildings.

"We reached our goal." Thorn says to inform me.

"And what is this goal?" I ask naturally.

"A saloon."

That surprises me.

"A saloon? You know the owner of a saloon?"

"Yes. Why is this so surprising?"

"Oh no no it isn't surprising."

The lie is obvious. How can an old man, who knew Oogway when he was young, who resembles Oogway to top it, know a saloon owner? That is quite surprising.

I hear a noise of dissatisfaction and he chuckles again.

We go in.

The door is no door but a net. When we are going in, I hear noises of persons. Some are chatting, some are playing like it sounds, and some are only sitting. Oddly enough that they make sounds in this way.

So we are going straight forward only to be greeted warmly by Thorn's old friend.

"Thorn? What are you doing here?" an older and a little panicky voice asks.

"Ah, Liu, old friend, nice to see you again." Thorn replies.

We stop at a bar.

"Thorn, how can you be here? You know you mustn't do that." The voice is getting more panicky and cause of the volume changing of the voice I assume that he is shaking his head.

"The situation changed, Liu. That is Tai Lung." I think he points at me.

"Greetings.", he says to me fast, but then turns to Thorn again, "What changed? Has it to do something with this guy?"

The kind he is talking about me isn't very respectful. I prepare to say something, when Thorn interrupts me.

"No he has nothing to do with this. We should talk in a more private place, Liu."

"Okay, okay."

I hear like they are moving and start also to move.

"No not you Tai Lung. You stay here." Thorn stops me.

"What? Why?"

"Because this is a private matter."

"Yeah you should stay here." Liu says to me, "Want something to drink?"

I grumble. "Water.", I say with a still annoyed voice.

"We haven't. At least no clean."

I think for a while. "Milk, maybe?"

"That we have." Liu says and I hear like he is moving around. That he position something in front of me.

"Come.", I hear like he is saying to Thorn and then they leave.

I go a step closer to the bar and smell the cup in front of me. The milk, or what this should be, doesn't smell fresh. I swallow my bad feeling and drink this milk. My assumption was right. I disgorge the milk somewhere. Yuck! I still have the taste in my mouth.

I hear like someone is laughing. I turn around to the side, where this laughing is coming from.

"What is so funny?" I ask with an angry voice.

This guy is still chuckling for a while. He seems to sit not far away from me.

"Not fresh, Kitty? This happens to someone, who orders milk in a saloon." he says in my language, but with a noticeable accent.

I step closer to him.

"Who are you calling, Kitty?" I think my voice should scare him.

I hear like he is standing up and stands directly in front of me.

"You, Pussycat." he says with a still amused voice. I don't let me ask trice.

I punch him first, and then hit him with a kick. I hear like he lands in a wall no far away.

"That is for the Kitty. Now comes the Pussycat." I threaten him.

I hear like he is standing up. I hear like his claws come out slowly and make a sound during this. So he is a feline also.

"You want to quarrel, Blind Man?" I hear a chuckle, "So it can be."

Then I notice it. The swamp water, which is on my feet, is also on his chest, where I hit him. I smile.

I get in battle posture.

"What are you doing?" I hear a yell from the entrance. It sounds familiar.

"This is the saloon of my father and you crashed a wall of it!" Now I recognize the voice: Swampie.

"He started." I hear the feline say.

"What? You insulted me first!" I counter and go a step closer to him.

"It is not important who started this! This quarrel ends here!" he shouts to both of us.

"He, he." I hear a laugh from behind him. Somehow the atmosphere changed rapidly, when I hear Swampie say: "What are you doing here?" His voice is no more so strong and energetic like it was a moment ago.

"Look the quarrel." the voice answers and it sounds a little cold. I recognize also an accent in this voice.

"What is happening here?" I hear Liu yell. It is coming from the side, where he went with Thorn.

I think he sees the damage first, because he begins to speak: "What the….", but ends it middle way.

"You.", his voice is getting scared. He is stepping in front of me.

"Hello, old bunny." the cold voice says, "I am here to deliver a message to you."

"What….What your boss wants to?" I hear like he is asking trembling the whole time.

"My boss knows your old friend." the cold voice continues, "And he knows that you hid him the whole time. There is no need to say that my boss isn't amused, bunny."

I hear a swallow from Liu.

"You have one week time to reconsider the facts, bunny. When you change your opinion on this matter, my boss is willing to forgive you. Although you will lose your saloon."

I hear like he is turning around.

"So reconsider it correctly, bunny. When not….I don't need to say you the consequences, or do I?"

"No, you don't need." I hear Liu's voice.

The cold voice chuckles again.

"Good. See you in one week." Then he leaves the saloon.

For a while it keeps silent.

"Seems that the situation changed again." I hear Thorn's voice from behind.

No one says anything and I am curious how this ends.

"I don't think that going away is enough now for me to prevent that you get into trouble, my old friend." Thorn continues, "So what will you do now?"

Again it keeps silent.

"I..." Liu starts, "I have two choices: To give up and not only lose my saloon, but also an old friend. Or to fight and maybe losing all, even my and my son's life."

"So how do you decide?" Thorn asks him in a very sure voice.

Liu needs some time to decide. Then I hear like he is talking to the feline, who quarreled with me: "You there, Cien. You have debts by me and are a mercenary. What do you think: Will you repay the debts by helping me fight?"

This Cien is chuckling again. "I think so.", he answers amused.

"And you Tai Lung? Do you will help me fight?" Liu turns around to me.

I think about this and point then my finger to the position, where I heard Swampie last time.

"I owe this kiddo something. So yeah."

I hear like Thorn is coming closer to Liu.

"Thank you old friend. I promise you that you will not regret this." he says to Liu.

"I hope so too."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	10. Sparring

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter IX:** Sparring

Now I have only one week time and no four months like I thought.

At least so long I have time to be a better fighter without water…..DOH!

Thorn took me with him and I heard also this Cien was following us.

The Saloon had two parts: The main part, where I was and a second part, which is connected to the first part with a wooden road without walls. It ends at another building, but this time we changed directions in midway and took a ramp down to the swamp.

This part of the swamp had not only dirty and sticky swamp water, but also muddy and icky earth. A fusion of both water and earth. Blehhh….

My feet were never dirtier.

"And why is this wiener following us?" I ask Thorn, while on our way.

"That I would to know also." I hear him yell.

"You will see." Thorn says in his all-knowing manner. Then he chuckles.

So we arrive at this water-earth fusion and one of the most hateful places, I know in this swamp. Now I know why Swampie and this saloon are stinking.

"Why….Why are we here?" I can still ask. I am close to vomit.

"We are here for training." explains Thorn.

"Ok, what training?" My voice is only a whisper now. Oddly enough I don't hear insults of this wiener. Maybe he had his own problems. This in an odd way let me smile.

"You already noticed that your nose is of no use here." Thorn says, "Your ears will not work cause of this.", he makes splashing noise, "So see without seeing is your only choice. Because you need to learn to do this outside of water, we are here. This earth is a mix between water and normal earth and so you will need to be more sensitive than until now to see something."

In this point he is right. There are only some spots in this place, where water is and this spots are too small to use them. And this damn smell isn't only disturbing my nose, but also my concentration.

"So how this should work? Should I stand again like earlier?" I enquire.

"No.", he disagrees, "During the ambush I learned that you make bigger progress, when you are fighting. So I want that you spare."

I hear like he is moving somewhere back.

"So I should fight against you?" I ask to be sure.

"No, of course not." he says, "I said I am pacifist. He will be your sparring partner."

"What?" I hear Cien.

"What?" I yell as well.

"Woh, woh, wait a minute mister." I hear like Cien is not amused, "Why should I fight against this pussycat?"

"What's the matter? Chicken out, Wiener?" I say with my most solid voice cause of this smell.

"I am not chickening out." he counters, "Why should I help you? I am neither working for him nor for you. I am working for Liu to pay my debts back."

"This is not a problem." Thorn says calmly and I think he smiles.

"And why is that?" Cien asks.

"Because Liu said, that I can order you anything I want to as long as the bandits aren't back."

"What?" he says.

I chuckle.

"So he said. When you do not believe me, you can go and ask."

I hear like he sighs.

"Okay, old turtle. I work for you and spare with this pussycat out there. But I don't guarantee that I don't break him anything."

"That is no problem. It is even better in this way." Thorn says simply.

I hear like footsteps are coming into this water-earth fusion. He stops not far in front of me.

"So you are blind?" He asks.

"Like you wouldn't know." I counter.

"And I should really spare with him. Maybe I kill him." he says. I growl.

"Yes you should. It will be better when you start now."

He begins to splash the water, but this is too late. I sprint forward and lift my arm to punch him, but when my punch is there, where his face should be, I grasp only air. Then a punch hits me in the side. I wince. Damn…

Another punch hits me in the face. I simply begin to punch in the direction where I assume him. No one hits. Then an uppercut hits me and I land in the mud.

"He, he, like I said. I could kill this pussycat." I hear his insulting.

"You…" I begin to counter during standing up, when Thorn says: "Stop!"

I stop.

"What's the matter, Tai Lung? You don't even try to see without seeing."

"Because he is not standing in the water." I try to argue.

"That is not important. There is enough water that you should sense him. So try to do this next time, instead rushing at him."

I growl.

So I stand again in this mud and try to concentrate, when a punch hits me in the face.

"Ahhh!" I growl loud, "Why? What have you done?"

"Sparing.", Cien answers.

"But I needed to conce…." I try to make him understand, when he interrupts me, "Do you think these guys will let you have time to concentrate? Fat chance!"

I stop arguing. He is right. I need to focus faster. Unfortunately I couldn't accomplish this the first day. The day ended with me lying in the mud. DOOOOOOHHHH!

The next day mud-sparring was also on the agenda. No rain oddly enough. With exception of the food breaks I spared the whole day with this Cien. And I must admit that he can fight. Although I am blind and so he has an advantage that no one should have. But when he can live with this….

The second day ended like the first, but this time I lie with the face in the front in the mud.

The third day makes no difference, although I tried to lure him into water places. It didn't change a thing.

The fourth either with one exception. My moves are getting smoother, more like in my old days. Like in my prime time.

The fifth day made a big difference.

I am again in the middle of recovering after some hits of Cien. I breathe in and out loudly. Then I stop breathing for a while. I think for a while. In the darkness of my eyes I….see.

A punch of Cien tries to hit me, but I dodge it to the side. I believe in this moment I was as surprised as Cien. He hits me again and I crush into the mud.

This is already the evening of the day so I am completely exhausted and can't stand up again.

"Let's call this is a day." Cien tells me and I hear like he is going away.

I hear like Thorn is coming closer to me.

"What did you see?" he asks me.

I try to focus my thoughts.

"Whirls….and vibrations. From him." I can mutter finally.

I look up at him. I open my eyes. And in the middle of the blur I can see a smile.

"You are close. Very close. Try to make this step tomorrow." he says to me. Then I hear him going away.

The next day was different from the earlier, although it started same as the former days. I got beaten up. And then when I was again in the middle of recovering I sensed it again: The whirls which surrounded Cien. Every of his moves make them stronger and I see like they are coming closer. Then he hits me and a big vibration is going through me and him. I step back and sense the next punch. This time I dodge. Then again. His punches are ending in the air. Then I take the next step and prepare my fist. He makes a step too far and my fist hits him in the middle of the cheek. I sense a big vibration in this point. He collapses on the ground.

He stays lying and my senses normalize.

"Not bad." I hear him saying.

"You saw without seeing." I hear Thorn's voice.

I look down to my fist, although I can't see a thing. But I sense it.

"I get it now." I say smiling, "Stand up Cien. The sparing isn't over."

A small vibration comes from him, probably from his face. A smile? A grin?

He attacks again and I fight back.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	11. Duo

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter X:** Duo

We spared the rest of the day and finally I wasn't the punching bag anymore. But I must admit that I thought it would easier now, that I can sense him.

First problem was, that I need to accustom to it and see without seeing wasn't becoming a second nature from the start. More often that I liked it didn't work, but it got better.

The other problem was Cien. This guy held back during the last days! This #*/°^?# !

And he is tougher than any other opponent I fought until now. Except Po….DOH!

He isn't stronger than me, but there for faster. Many of my punches and kicks miss only, because he could dodge them. And on the other side he is slimmer and smaller than me and so he can dive under my attacks much easier.

So the result at the end of the day is a draw. Both of us are exhausted. I breathe loud in and out as he does.

But then he gets louder. He laughs.

"What is so funny?" I demand to know.

"You!" he says laughing and becomes louder.

"What?" I don't get it.

"You look like a mud monster!" he explains laughing, "Your fur is completely away. Ha ha, you are a muddy pussycat." I hear like he falls in the mud cause of his laugh.

I touch myself and I must admit that he is right. I am completely soaked with mud. I begin to smile.

I remember the days with Shifu. He trained me also during rain and mud and I got always dirty. After this we laughed also the whole time.

I begin to laugh although not so loud like Cien.

Thorn chuckles. "Okay this is enough for today. Tai Lung. Cien. It is time for a small bath."

The bath is a bucket full of water. It doesn't clean the mud away but at least I can touch my fur again.

We are now in the back house of the saloon, where a fireplace was in the middle. I think they have stones around and under it, because of the wood. We get something to eat: toasted tendrils with salt. Like they say a delicacy in the swamp. It doesn't taste like an apple. But at least not like a swamp grape also. Gods may be thanked.

My see without seeing is also active now. Although it is not so precise like in the muddy hell. I know that we are five: Me, right to me Thorn, further afar in a corner Cien, Liu and his son Swampie on the other side of the fireplace.

It is an odd feeling to see this but on the same time not be able to see anything. I open my eyes a little and am welcomed again by the known golden blur. I take another bite of the tendril.

"So…" Cien begins still chewing, "What I asked myself from the beginning: What these guys want to have from you, old turtle?

That is a question I asked myself also since the day of the ambush. Why are this people interested in Thorn?

I hear like Thorn stops his eating.

"Wait a minute: Thorn, you were by these guys for six days and you haven't thought about saying it to them?" Liu says surprised.

"No for this was no time." Thorn replies.

"Then now you have time." Cien states.

I sense like Thorn is rising up his head.

"No, not now." Thorn declares.

"Then when Thorn?" Liu counters, "You know that these guys will fight for you as well as for me. They need to know for what they are fighting."

"Not yet." Thorn says and gets interrupted by Liu: "When you don't want to, then I will…"

"Not yet!" This is the first time I hear Thorn be so loud. Liu gets speechless.

"I have…" he begins to explain and I think he turns to me, "…to check first a thing. Tomorrow I promise that I say it. But not earlier."

Then he silences.

We too.

We eat to the end and then we go to sleep.

At the next day a disaster happens to me: I can't see anymore. The sense is gone! I stand up and move around a little, but nothing. I panic!

"Why are you dancing, pussycat?" Cien asks me from behind.

"Eh…." Think! Think! "Don't call me pussycat!" I growl, "And this is no dancing! This is warming up!"

Silence.

"Whatever.", he says.

I think he swallowed it. Puhhh.

I follow him like he is leaving the back house. Seems that the rest are also away. Outside I feel the sensation again, but in the moment I step into the Saloon I sense nothing anymore. Only don't let yourself snapped, I pray.

"Ah there you are." Liu says. His voice is again trembling.

"Yeah this pussycat needed to dance instead coming."

"I said already this was a warm-up, Wiener!" I growl again.

"Now is not the time to argue about trivial things. We need to prepare." Liu tells us.

"Prepare for what?" I hear the cold voice again. It is coming from the front. I hear like something shattered from the point where the bar has to be.

"I hope that you are not thinking of resisting us, Liu." the cold voice threatens him, "That will be not good for your and your son's health."

"I….I…." Liu stammers.

I want to say something when Cien comes in my way: "Yeah he wants to resist, Lion. And what do you want to do against it?"

I hear an evil laugh shortly after. "You will see.", then louder, "Boys!"

I hear footsteps coming in. I can't sense how many these are, but by the loud noise they make it must be much. I get in battle posture. I show my teeth.

I feel like Cien is touching my back with his.

"So what do you think? Half for me and half for you?" Cien says and I know that he is grinning again.

"Cien, I need to admit something." I begin and my pride tries to stop me.

"And what is this? That you are a dancer in your heart?" he says chuckling.

"No! No of course not. I…I believe I can't see them."

"You are blind, Bro."

"I know. But I can't sense them either."

"What?"

Further he doesn't come, when a crowd of yells are heard. Then footsteps are coming closer.

I turn around and punch in the direction where the closest noise is coming from. At least this situation has something good: Not important where I punch or kick there must be an enemy. And I am right, when I hit the first opponent. But this is the beginning only. I move around without aiming and still hit. But then I hear a familiar voice: "Au! You blind idiot! Try to remember how you sense them or we get into much trouble." Cien says.

This is confirmed in the next moment, when someone hits me. Then another hit in the face. I get angry slowly.

After the sixth hit I get on my knee.

"Stand up, pussycat! Or do you want to die!"

I breathe loud. I see it again. FINALLY!

The next whirl is a kick in my face. I block it with my hands, stand up, lift the foot owner and let him whirl.

I think this surprised the enemies close to me, because they stop for a second. Enough time to counterattack. I punch to the next whirl face into its face, kick in the same motion someone from his feet and bandy myself through a line of enemies who land on their asses or faces. Attacks I dodge before they can get close to me or block them and use them against the attacker.

Ahhh…I feel the energy again. The joy of fight. I feel refreshed again, when I hit the next attacker in his teeth and send him flying.

I don't know how much enemies get beaten by me, let alone know where I am going, because I sense only enemies. But I end up at the back of Cien again.

"Finally, you get it again." he says and breathes loudly, "I thought I would need to defeat these goons all alone."

"Not this time, Wiener. I don't give you the whole fun." I hit another goon in his face.

He chuckles. "And I hoped already to see you lying on your ass, pussycat." I sense like he hits someone with two punches.

"Not before you. Let's bring this to an end." Another goon ends lying at the ground.

"Stop you worthless scum!" the cold voice says loud. It is coming from the front and I can sense him.

"Back, scum!" he yells, "The turtle was seen. Go back to the hideout to find out where, while I am finishing off these guys."

I hear the footsteps disappearing to the front door again and then it's quiet again.

"Hey Liu!" I yell and I know that he is hiding behind the bar, "Where is Thorn?"

"I don't know." he stammers.

"I saw him leaving in the morning." Swampie says, who is close to his father.

"Where?" Cien asks.

"That is not important for you both anymore." the lion says and I feel like the whirls around him change. He gets in battle posture.

"So who should have him?" Cien asks me.

"I get him. You go looking for Thorn." I say.

"Seriously? You will need me. And I don't know the city."

"I can show you." Swampie says.

"There you heard it. We do this for him, so we can't allow that he gets captured. So go now."

"Okay like you want, pussycat." he says before he is leaving the saloon through the backdoor.

Now I am alone although I know that Liu is behind me and still trembling.

I and my opponent circle each other.

"You made a mistake Leopard." the Lion says, "Alone you are not able to beat me."

"Say that again, when I am ready with you. And by the way: my name is Tai Lung."

He chuckles evil. "I see. My name should be the last you hear. I am Adum, your doom."

And then he attacks. I can still dodge the attack, but his claws scratch my shoulders. I punch him in the chest. It is not working. Then in the cheek. Nothing. Then he tries to attack me again, but I jump back. I hear like wood is cracking and sense like he is jumping at me. Too fast to dodge it. I block the fist with both of my arms and get sent flying.

I crash against the bar.

I feel dizzy.

The second time this happens to me since Po.

I stand up and sense him in front of me in time. I dodge an uppercut and hit him in the chin. A paw of him tries to hit me in the face, but I jump to the side. I dodge again and hit him again in the face. I hear like he growls. He attacks, I step backwards. Then I hit him again. This goes on until I reach the wooden wall.

I have an idea.

I jump with my feet on the wall and use it as a springboard. My two fists hit him in the middle of the chest and I land on the ground. Sadly it didn't have the effect I wanted to have, because he is still standing firmly.

Then his paw hits me in the cheek and I land crashing against the next wall. I hear the crack of it. I am lying again on the ground and again dizzy, but this time more than the last time.

He grabs me by my throat and lifts me up. I am a big guy, but still I can't stand while I am eye to eye to him.

"I said you made a mistake, Leopard." he chuckles, "Say goodbye."

A fist lands in my face and I fly through the wall. I don't know how far I flew, but I land in the water. Maybe this had rescued my life although splashing into it wasn't a nice sensation.

I sink down to the ground. I focus and use the ground to jump upwards again. I splash out of the water and take a big breath. More I can't do. I still feel dizzy.

"Impressive to survive this, Leopard." I hear him not far away, "But this is not important." He chuckles again.

Then I sense footsteps coming closer….Two pair?

"Lord Adum!" I hear the name and some words in the different language. Adum seems to stop.

"You are lucky, Leopard." he says after the other one ended, "Seems so that the other guy makes more problems than expected. I let you live. For now. But I'll be back."

Then I sense like his footsteps are going further afar.

That is the last thing I sense, because I faint after this and sink back to the ground of the swamp.

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	12. Truth

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter XI:** Truth

It is so dark. First I can see nothing.

Then I see it. Chorh-Gom Prison.

Twenty years of Darkness. Of chains. Of humiliation. Of Defeat.

Then I can free myself. With the help of a simple feather. I chuckle. My greatest victory.

Then the fight against the Furious Five. Another easy win.

And then Shifu.

And then Po. PO! The Dragon Warrior! I still can't believe completely that it is him.

A big fat panda is the Dragon Warrior! Did the destiny like to play tricks on me?

DOH!

Then the golden halo comes. It surrounds me. Let me disappear.

I vanish in a golden blur.

And nothing remains.

I wake up.

Loud and surprised. I try to lift myself, but there is pain in my head.

From somewhere I know this pain.

Uhhh.

I can lift my upper body.

"He is awake!" I hear the voice of Swampie not far away.

I moan. The pain is coming also from my chest. I touch the places.

Bandages.

I am nursed.

"Tai Lung, how are you feeling?" I hear Liu ask.

"Dizzy and pain." I mutter. It is true. My heads spins and I lie down again.

"What happened?" I ask.

"I rescued your ass, pussycat." I hear from Cien farther away.

"How?", then I remember, "Where is Thorn?"

"They…They have him." Swampie mutters and I hear that he cried a little.

"How?" I get louder so Cien can hear me, "Shouldn't you care for him?"

"I did. But then you haven't made your job. This Lion came and I flew."

"You flew?" I state completely surprised.

"Yeah. This guy plus his army were too much for one me. So I flew."

"But you should have…"

"Hey don't dare to teach me how I make my job! I would have done my job, but you failed to do yours. And the last thing I would do is losing my life for a lost fight."

I can't believe it! They have Thorn. The pain is getting bigger. I am close to faint again, but there are things I need to know.

"Where are we?"

"Somewhere in the swamp." Liu tells.

"How we got here?"

"I took you and the others here."

I am surprised, because Cien said this.

"How?"

"I passed the saloon during my fled. Liu told me to rescue you out of the swamp before you have drowned. So I had to rescue your ass. You should thank for rescuing you, pussycat."

I keep silent. I see now.

"So they have Thorn and we failed. Unacceptable." I declare.

I lift my upper body under much pain. Then I stand on my feet again. I breathe loudly. I take my first step and the pain is getting bigger. I ignore it and take my next step. Then the next. I feel swamp water under my feet.

"Hey what are you doing?" Cien asks me uncertainly.

"Going rescue him." I say.

"What? Are you insane?"

"No. But I am not allowing another defeat. This Lion I finish him off. And then I rescue Thorn."

"But you are blind! And you don't even know where he is!"

"Swampie." I turn my head back, "Could you lead the way."

"O...Okay." Swampie stammers a little afraid.

I hear like his footsteps are in front of me. I try to turn forward again, when someone catches me on my arm.

"Why…Why are you doing this?" Cien asks. His voice is different from earlier. Somehow pleading.

I think a while about this. Why I am doing this?

I chuckle when I find it out. "Because there is still something for what I am good."

"What?" Cien asks not understanding.

"My destiny was stripped away from me. To my home I am never able to return…I have no home anymore. I have nothing. Nothing to live. No destiny. No road. But I can still rescue the only person, which has helped me without wanting something in return. And even when this means my death."

"So you would really risk your life…for him?" I hear his disbelief.

"Yes." And I am surprised because I mean it, "My past is away, but my present I decide how it turns out."

I smile and hear nothing. Also I sense nothing. It is not wondering me, that I can't use see without seeing anymore.

After a long while, so I think, he replies: "When you want to win, then you will need a helping hand. But not now. Because I want to live not matter what. First you must recover."

"I am going n…Arg.", I begin to say, when he squeeze my hand. I go down to my knee. I growl.

"In this state you are helping no one." Cien states.

"But we need to hurry…" I try to convince him.

"That is not a fact." he objects and lets me go.

"What do you mean?"

"Liu, you know the whole matter, do you? Why are these guys behind him and who are they?" Cien asks.

Now I get it. And even when I said these words earlier, I know that I am curious also. I stand up and turn around.

"The reason…?" Liu stammers. He seems to be still scared.

"The truth." Cien corrects him, "The whole truth."

"Okay…" Liu begins and his voice stabilizes a little, "They want to have the Scroll of the Phoenix."

"The Scroll of the Phoenix?" I ask.

"Yeah, a Scroll about which Thorn told me. He said, that there is written the position of a city."

"A city?" Cien interrupts as the second.

"A legendary city." Liu explains further, "A lost city, which was so powerful that it controlled the past world. And this power should still be there, although the city vanished from the face of the world."

"And this Scroll says this?" I try to get him to be more precise.

"Yes, there stands where it is. And only Thorn knows where this Scroll is hidden."

We keep silent for a while.

"That explains the why. But not the who." Cien declares.

"I don't know these guys completely. In this swamp they are some of the gangsters. They make the life of us honest men much more difficult. But they were only this: troublemakers."

"What changed?" I ask.

"A guy appeared. Two or three months ago. I don't know this guy, but he was able to convince most of the local gangsters to work for him. And he used them to find Thorn. Although I don't believe that all know why."

"And this lion knows about the Scroll?" Cien asks.

"Yeah I think so. Or at least his boss. Or both. They were the first, who surrendered. And this Lion was left behind by the army of guy."

"The army? This guy has an army?" I ask surprised.

"Yeah sort of. But I don't know where he is now."

That keeps us silent again. I try to focus, but the pain is getting in my way. More focus. More pain. But I see again. It is not gone completely. Good.

"This is good." Cien declares. Have I talked loud again?

"This gives us time." he adds, "Time to prepare."

"Prepare? What do you mean?" I ask him.

"Prepare for the battle against them." he specifies, "After all you need to recover and to train to get better. Or do you want that this damn Lion is getting the better on you again?"

"Never! But they have Thorn. We can't waste time for this! We need to rescue him at once."

"Why? They will not kill him. Not as long he doesn't tells them where the Scroll is. And did you have judged his mind easy to break?"

"I judged his mind as crazy, but what if they send him to this ´guy`?"

"For this we can prepare." Cien says and continues talking to another direction, "Swampie, do you know the Hideout of these guys?"

Swampie keeps silent first, because of his surprise. "I know it."

"Good. Can you spy it?"

"Wait! You want to use my son as a spy? Over my dead body!" Liu says.

"That could happen faster than you think." Cien threatens him, "We need to know, if Thorn is sent away and Swampie has the best chances to spy without being noticed."

"But…But..."

"It's okay, dad." Swampie says, "In this way I am not a burden for this. I will do this."

"Great. Then this is clear.", Cien says.

"But what if they torture him?" I ask the unpleasant question.

"You said it yourself: He is crazy. And crazy minds are difficult to break."

"You know what I mean." I insist.

"Yeah. We can only hope that it will be not too late. But we have no other choice. In the state we are now, we will be not able to beat them, even when this Lion don't appear. And then Thorn remains until death in captivity."

I growl. "You are right."

I hate to admit it, but I still can't lift a finger without pain. In this state I am no help for Thorn. I hope he survives.

"So how do we get better?" I ask him.

He chuckles. "Sparring."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	13. Battle in the Swamp

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Chapter XII:** Battle in the Swamp

Two weeks past. Two weeks of recovering and sparing. My see without seeing got better every day and become more natural than I ever expected it in this time.

Two weeks of uncertainty. Certain was only the fact that Thorn wasn't sent away. Or at least from the point where Swampie spied. Even Liu helped with this, although he was not as good as his son.

Today we decided that we will go there tomorrow.

It is time to rumble.

The next day came faster than expected. No nightmares. No not-needed memories. Only confidence.

The Hideout of these gangsters was a big wooden building on a sole island, built on a big tree in the middle of a swamp water lake. A big tree house simply.

At the roots of the tree were tents and fireplaces where the gangsters waited. They expected us, because we sent them a message.

"I still say, that it would be better when they hadn't expected us." Cien says. He was against this plan.

"I am not a coward. I fight like a real warrior would do.", I answer to him.

We are on our way to the tree house. It was more separated from the other buildings of the city and the only dry connection to it, was a thin wooden road.

We are getting close.

"So how many are there?" I ask Cien.

"You can't see them?" Cien asks a little nervous.

"My seeing is good enough for battle not for counting the enemies." I counter. Sadly this is right.

"Let's say there are more than last time. I think these guys don't want to have us here."

"They are not the problem."

"I know."

After a while I ask: "Will you use it?"

"What?"

"Your sword."

He hesitates. "No, this is for another battle."

"I see. I hope you're not better with the sword than with your fists."

"I am not a Kung Fu Warrior like you, but I think I proved that I am good enough with my fists. And legs. And Head. And mouth. And…"

"I get it.", I interrupt him.

We stop when we enter the island. I sense like the crowd was coming to us. All goons. Where is Adum?

"So you really came?" I heard his familiar cold voice, "I have expected that you are smarter than that, Leopard. And Panther, from you I expected that you are nowhere close this swamp anymore."

He ends his speech with an evil chuckle.

"I also never expected to be here now." Cien replies, "But like you see: Everyone can be wrong."

Adum growls amused.

"So you want to have a rematch, Leopard?"

"I said to you, my name is Tai Lung.", I say, "And this will be no rematch. This will be your defeat."

"I heard something like that the last time. But when you insist. Back you scum! Free a space for us!"

I step forward. Cien grabs my shoulder. "And you really want to fight alone?"

"That's what I decided, or not? I don't do the same mistakes twice, so no worries."

"Who worries? It is not that all depends on your victory, Tai Lung."

I smile.

And step into the freed space.

"Seems so that some never learn." Adum says and then the atmosphere around him changes.

"Eh, wait a minute. Before you start. First I need to ask something." Cien interrupts us.

"What do you want, Panther?" Adum replies and with a noticeable different mood.

"Is Thorn still alive?" Cien asks the question, which was interesting me also.

Adum hesitates to answer. "Maybe.", He answers. And then he attacks.

No surprise for me. I sense him completely. Out of every part of his body I sense the whirls. He is not invisible.

A stronger whirl on his left sides says that his arm is rising. I dodge to the side and simultaneously punch into his chin. No effect, like expected, but when he wants to attack further I am already on my hands and kick him under his chin with my feet. He needs to take a step back, but is still standing.

I don't let him take the initiative anymore. I rush at him and land blow after blow in his firm chest. Then I sense the reaction: A stronger whirl around the right arm. I bow under the dashing paw and hit him hard against his belly.

Finally I hear a reaction. He makes some noises, which resemble moaning.

I roll over to the side, before he can attack with both his paws and smash thereby the earth, where I was standing a moment ago. I use my hands as a pillar and let a kick land in his shin, but he still not falls.

He grabs my leg and lifts me up.

Hanging with head down, is a little surprising, but it doesn't stop me. I use my free hands to punch him against his belly again. Before I can foresee this he throws me away.

I land on my shoulder. Hard. But I jump upwards fast. He rushes against me.

I sense his whirls. Again in his right arm. But stronger than last time. On the other end his left arm has almost no whirls. I have an idea.

I dodge the attack in time and punch simultaneously against his left shoulder. I sense an effect.

He takes one or two steps back and holds his arm.

"Something broken?" I ask him with a little spitefulness….Somehow Cien has rubbed on me…Not so good.

I hear a loud crack. His shoulder was dislocated, but he had located it back.

"Nothing really." he answers and attacks again.

I dodge again and notice that I sense it everywhere. When he attacks, the whirls increase there where he starts an attack. But on the other side they decrease.

He lifts his foot and stamps on the ground with a crushing effect. I jumped earlier and kick him in his face. This time the whirls decreased around the head area. He takes a step back. I don't let him get away. I hit there where I sense less whirls than normal and this are also some areas on his chest, under his armpits, his chin and elbows and knees. The weak points of the body.

I am merciless. I don't give him a chance to counterattack. And then I land an uppercut directly under his chin and finally he falls on his back.

After a surprising moment he lifts his head slowly. He crawls backwards and I sense that his whirls are completely chaotic. This whole whirl thing is more complicated than I thought.

"Beaten already?" I ask him with a very serious voice.

"I…I…..Boys! Get them!" he yells.

For a moment I am surprised, because I have completely forgotten about them, but thank gods they also. After a moment of hesitation they attack. I turn around, because there are the closer enemies. I dodge, block and counterattack, when this flood of men attacks me.

Only by the way I sense that Adum had stood up and threw his men onto me.

Before they could encircle me and stab me in this way with their weapons, Cien arrives and makes a road free.

We stand again back on back.

"Seems that the sparing was good for something." he states, when the enemy is getting closer.

"I have a plan. Take my hands!" I command.

"What?"

"Do it!"

I take his hands and twist him in a flat whirlwind. I sense like many of our attackers are kicked away. Then I threw him in a direction where he would free the road to the tree.

I take the road and kick thereby more of the attackers. I grab his arm and help him stand up again.

He seems a little dizzy. "Next time….you warn me…" he says and then vomits in the middle of the face of the next attacker. This one screams and runs away.

"Up!" I order. And Cien takes the ladder up to the tree house, while I strike back our attackers. Oddly enough I can't sense Adum close to me anymore.

When Cien is up and fights there against further goons, I roar loud. All of our attackers stop for a moment. Enough time for me to rush up and cut at the end the ladder with my claws and send in this way many of our enemies back down to the ground.

Upwards Cien and I finish off the last goons, who were already here and then we enter the house.

It was only a big empty room. I admit it, I expected something more spectacular.

But this feeling of disappointment is like blown off, when I sense three persons in the house.

"Not a step further!" Adum threatens me. Behind him is Thorn in a chair and behind him is another enemy, with a knife under Thorn's chin. Or so I think. I growl.

"Give up Tai Lung! Or this turtle is history!" Adum continues talking.

The whirls around Thorn are somehow different. Weaker in some sort of way. But different than last time I sensed them.

"Tai Lung.", Cien whispers to me, "I have a stone."

"What?" I whisper back.

"Prepare yourself." he whispers only and I still don't get it.

"Hey no whispering there! You have three seconds to give up or you will regret this! I count to three…One!"

And then I sense the meaning of Cien's words: He throws a stone right into the wrist of the other enemy behind Thorn. Cause of the pain he has to let the knife drop, which lands on the ground.

I attack fast with a whirlwind kick in the cheek of Adum. Cien attacks also and punches the other one behind Thorn in the face.

I don't let myself be distracted as I hit Adum several times in the belly. He has to bow his upper body after some while. Seems that the fight of earlier has an effect at the end.

I use this opportunity and transfer all my strength into my legs. With the standing leg I crush the ground under me, but with the other I kick with all my strength into the belly of Adum. I hear like he makes noises of breathlessness and then he collapses.

I pant few times before I turn around only to see that Cien had defeated the other one and had freed Thorn. He was lying on the ground.

I rush to him.

"Thorn!" I shout and take his head, while Cien stands up quietly. He gives me space.

"Tai Lung,….you came." Thorn mutters and coughs after this.

"Yeah we came to rescue you. Hang in there!" I talk to him.

"That will be not possible. I am dying." Thorn mutters.

"What! No! No!" I stammer, "That can't be!...Damn it! We are too late!"

I curse myself. Again! I lose again! Even in this I am not good enough!

"It's…not your fault, Tai Lung. My time would have come….if I was tortured or not. I knew it."

"Why? Why you went away?" I say after a while and can still withhold my tears.

"Because I needed to check….something. And I was right."

"Check? You said this the day before also."

"Yes. Do you remember that I said….that no one knows his destiny? Not before it starts?"

"Yeah."

"I knew from the moment I cared for you, that my destiny was to die soon."

"Why?"

"Because my duty as the Warden of the Phoenix comes to an end….Finally after so many years."

I still don't get it. Then I remember the scroll.

"The scroll?"

"Yes. I had…to protect it. But my time is up. It is time that….Light takes my place."

"Light?"

He chuckles coughing. "The Scroll is hidden…on the highest mountains of this world. On the roof of the world. At an old sanctuary far from here. In its deepest chamber….You need to keep this secret now."

I know that Cien hears everything, but I keep quiet.

"Open your eyes, Tai Lung."

I hesitate. After a while, which felt like an eternity I opened them. I am welcomed again, by the known golden blur. But then it opens up and I see the old turtle. I see his sad eyes or is it cause of the age. I see his thin throat, where even Oogway had to give up. And I see his smile. His warm smile.

"I see." I mutter.

"Now we see that it is temporal." he chuckles and coughs right after, "Tai Lung, thank you."

"For what?"

"For giving me peace.", and then he begins to disappear. Only the wind remains.

I stay there on my knees for some while.

I breathe in and out several times loud enough that everyone could hear it.

"I am sorry, Tai Lung." Cien says and grabs my shoulder, "It is my fault. I insisted that you wait."

"No.", I say, "I wanted it also. I saw it was right." I stand up, "But this leads to nothing. Let's go."

...

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.


	14. Ending

**Tai Lung – The Journey**

**Epilogue**

Two weeks have passed.

After we left the tree house, the goons were waiting for us. But they surrendered. Then the first time I saw how many we have beaten up.

I took a torch and inflamed it. Then I threw it against the tree house. I and Cien did this several times until the house begin to burn. We stayed there until it burnt down.

The next two weeks I was back again on the island, where Thorn had cared for me. I sat there without doing anything. Someone could think that I mediated. But I thought only.

About my past. About my mistakes. About my life. It had changed so drastically after the fight against Po. Po? He seems so far away now.

"Still mediating?" Cien asks me. He was the only one, who visited me, although only to bring me food until now.

"I am surprised that you are still here, Cien. Nothing different to do?" I say a little annoyed.

"I have something to do, but…but…"

"But what?" I demand to know.

"But I think, I owe you something."

"You owe me?" I chuckle, "I owe you. Without you I would be dead already for four weeks."

"Yeah, but you couldn't save him."

No amusement. Only seriousness. Did he change also cause of this?

"I couldn't save him that is right. But that is not your fault like I said already." I hesitate, "And even not my. You heard him. It was his destiny to die. So that I could carry his duty."

"It is not satisfying. Am I right?"

"You can bet your life on it."

I hear like he is coming closer. My back was turned to him, but now he looked at my face.

"I thought your eyes are healed?" he wonders, after he saw my closed eyes.

"They are not. I see only few things. I think the healing process isn't complete yet. If it ever be. Not that I care."

I think he smirks. "So what will you do now? Mediate for the rest of your life and stay in this swamp like he had?"

"No.", I say and think. This was clear from the start, but what I want to do now?

"I think…I will go to the roof of the world."

"To the Scroll? Shouldn't you hide the secret only?"

"In this way he had accomplished his duty. But not me. He said me once that I will see my destiny, before it comes. I don't see my destiny in doing this in his way. I want to see what the reason for all this trouble was."

"Hmmm…And you know how you get there?"

"If I had a clue I would had already left you here." I admit and smile after this.

He chuckles. It is somehow easier to smile now. Another thing what changed.

"Then I can give you a clue. The roof of the world is a country called Tibet. Far to the east and south from here. It is located on very high mountains."

"That has to be it. So Tibet it is."

"And you know how to get out of this swamp?"

With this he caught me on the hop. "I don't even know how I got here."

He chuckles again. "For someone, who should guard such a big secret, you know rather not a hell of a lot."

"I am fighter. The improvising guy. Not the planner or the brainy."

"Then you have luck. An odd merchant by the name of Feng Sheng – a duck – came to the City and is planning go to the east. He hires every bodyguard he could get."

"Feng Sheng? I thought he would be back in around three months?"

"Really? So this was it. I heard that he had rather much trouble in the next city western of here. And now he is on the road to the east and hires bodyguards."

I think about this. Thorn wanted that I accompany him. As the last wish maybe I should go. Not that I will benefit from this…He He.

I stand up. "Good. Then he has hired someone."

"He had hired two."

"You too? Have you no own life?"

"I have and I think it is much happier without you. But I need to get to the east, too. Have to do some business there. So in the end you are following me."

"In your dreams." I chuckle.

So I hired by Feng Sheng. Said goodbye to Swampie and Liu and wished them good luck with rebuilding their saloon. I travel to the east. Back to my once life…Maybe better than that. I hope so. I don't want to land here again.

Loud breathing in and out.

So the journey begins only just.

**The End**

….

"Kung Fu Panda" (c) DreamWorks Animation

I own nothing except for the written word.

So this it. The12 End. The Final End9. I like open ends7. Most often8 when they are so20 undefined. What will1 happen with Tai Lung further is part14 of your imagination now. I think4 it is not too difficult to19 think how it8 should go further1. I think4 all is15 possible. But for23 me it is the end.

I say goodbye to Tai Lung and Cien.

….

:-P

No I am kidding. There will be a sequel. So be patient. :)


End file.
